Frank iorns gibbs and william wright



(No Model.)

F. I. GIBBS 81; W. WRIGHT.

ROLLER SKATE.

Patented Mar. 2. 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK IORNS GIBBS AND WILLIAM W'RIGI-IT, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

ROLLER-SKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,082, dated March 2, 1897. Application filed August 12,1895. Serial No. 559,066- (No model.) Patentediu England December 11,1894,No. 24,038.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK IORNS GIBBS and WILLIAM WRIGHT, subjects of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland,

residing at Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,En gland,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roller-Skates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has been patented in Great Britain December 11, 1894, No. 24,038.

This invention has reference to those rollerskates which are made with two rollers under the foot-plate or tread; and the object of this invention is to provide the said skates with a pneumatic or air-inflated tread-plate to absorb Vibration and enable the wheels or rollers to be made with non-inflatable tires.

Our said invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section, of the footplate part of a roller-skate, illustrating the method which we employ of making the said foot-plate pneumatic or air-inflated.

' The foot-plate is shown at A, and two of the depending horns at B 0 these extending downwardly to support the rollers. (Not shown.) A toe cap N is provided having lace-holes n. The heel part is provided with 0 ankle-supports o 0 The foot-plate A is provided with an inflatable india-rubber or air-tight pad or cushion, (marked L,) which is secured to the footplate by metal cross-bars a fixed to the upwardly-turned edges a of the foot-plate. The foot-plate A may be and by preference is formed with cross-corrugations a for the purpose of strengthening the same. The said air-tight pad or cushion L is molded or other wise formed with raised ribs, as shown, which stand up between cross-bars a so that when the india-rubber pad or cushion is inflated,.

as shown, it will stand up above the level of the cross-bars a and thus form a soft and non-vibratable tread.

The part lettered l is the ordinary valve for connecting the inflater.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a roller-skate of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the metallic treadplate A made with cross-bars a of the inflatable india-rubber pad or cushion L fitting in said tread-plate under between and above the cross bars to form a pneumatic tread substantially as hereinbefore described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK IORNS GIBBS. WILLIAM WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

CHARLES BOSWORTH KELLEY, HERBERT WH TEHOUsE. 

